Another photo drop from Italy. Boboli Gardens and the beginnings of Cortona. bjhess.com/posts/flo…
Looking back through my Italy posts and updating photos for the posts I wrote during the “slow internet period.” First up: bjhess.com/posts/flo…
When I fly I, download comedy albums. Also, I drink the cranberry juice cocktail. I don’t know why.
Heading to Florence in a few weeks. My eldest is studying there, we know the many highlights, and we’ll have a lot of built-in plans, but if you have any under-the-radar can’t misses let me know.
Pretty nice out here.
Red Cedar Lake
I want to start writing up our Iceland trip, but after a day of work I’m ready to…not do that. I’m very fortunate to be working on cool stuff with Good Enough, but it still takes a lot of energy!
Feel fortunate to have missed this flooding in Iceland. Hope everyone has found a safe spot to pause their travels. (Reddit thread with everyone gameplanning.)
I approached the vehicle as it was driving up and immediately loaded our luggage (without help from the driver) into the Lyft yesterday. Then we all got into the vehicle. I was charged a 38-second “wait time fee” of 27¢.
I would dispute this 27¢ if there was any easy way. Guess it’s another method to leech money out of us bit by bit?
Last, to our Airbnb near Sandgerði.
Our host met us to let us know that the Arctic tern were nesting. While nesting the eggs and hatchlings are vulnerable to Arctic fox. She let us know that if we heard any gunshots, it was the local farmers taking out a predatory fox.
The terns were everywhere.
Yesterday at Harpa we took in the interactive light exhibit, Circuleight.
Then we headed closer to the airport and our Airbnb for the evening, eating an outstanding dinner at Röstin restaurant at Garðskagi.
Yesterday we were back to Reykjavík, preparing to return home. 😢
It was sunny and warm (15°C), so ice cream at Eldur og Ís. Then a visit to Harpa.
Also two days ago, we finished our short Golden Circle tour. Geysir and Thingvellir.
Two days ago we started the day with tire repair. Protip: check your tires before leaving your rental car agency…especially driving Iceland. When our tire went flat, I looked at the tires and…oof, they were bad. Mechanics aid they were “terrible.”
Visited the park in Hvolsvöllur. Then to Gullfoss.
More updates to come from yesterday and today, but it’s time for bed and to say “Until next time” to Iceland. Flying out (🤞) tomorrow morning.
Visiting Skógafoss? I highly recommended following the Waterfall Way. The most work is climbing to the top of Skógafoss. From there it’s straight beauty. The first 25% of our hike was in steady rain, but we were prepared.
Steinbogafoss, Fremri-Fellsfoss, unnamed waterfall, and Skálabrekkufoss.
Two days ago. Kvernufoss and Skógafoss. If you’re visiting Skógafoss, don’t skip Kvernufoss. A walk-behind waterfall with hardly any other visitors.
Two days ago now. Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrafoss. Do not miss Gljúfrafoss!
Just experienced the super rare Iceland thunders (Hopefully that’s what it was!)
Got back to our Airbnb and noticed a tire was losing air. Flat within 10 minutes. Thankfully it wasn’t on the side of the road. Thankfully it wasn’t during our 6-hour epic drive in the northeast. Still a bummer, though.
I will have to save my photo update for tomorrow. 🙃
Finally we were glad we decided to go out in the rain one last time to visit the famous Reynisfjara black sand beach. We overlooked it from Dyrhólaey earlier in the day, but walking directly on its otherworldly sand was a whole different experience.
Then we spent some time in Vík. First looking at the church and cemetery. Then taking in the Lava Show. Hot!
Today was a bit more typical Iceland: windy and rainy.
Still, we soldiered on! First to Dyrhólaey.
After grabbing groceries at the absurdly busy Krónan grocery store in Vik, we headed west out of town and the sun peaked through the clouds for the first time all day. Simply breathtaking!
We wondered where this path led to near Stjórnarfoss. We gazed at miles upon miles of moss covered lava fields. We could have stared at Fjarðarárgljúfur (feather river canyon) literally all night. It was so gorgeous. We wrapped our pre-Vik drive up at Yoda Cave.
